The driver charged with killing NHL hockey player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, as they cycled on a rural New Jersey road pleaded not guilty to the indictment Tuesday after turning down a prosecution offer of 35 years in prison.

Sean M. Higgins, 44, appeared briefly in court in Salem County, New Jersey, and entered a formal plea to the recent indictment in the Aug. 29 deaths. The case will now move toward trial.

Police say Higgins, of Woodstown, had a history of road rage and was impaired that day after drinking five or six beers. He said he had been driving around for two hours, sometimes talking by phone with a friend, after an upsetting conversation with his mother.

Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were killed near their childhood home in South Jersey on the eve of their sister’s wedding.

College football

Washington State wins lawsuit over former coach >> Washington State was justified in firing Nick Rolovich as head football coach because of his refusal to comply with the state’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements, a federal judge has ruled.

Rolovich sued the university following his dismissal midway through the 2021 season. He claimed that as a Catholic, he was exempted from the state’s vaccine mandate but his exemption request had been denied.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice ruled that Washington State could not accommodate Rolovich without undue hardship, including increased travel costs and hindered recruitment and fundraising efforts. The university also claimed damage to its reputation.

Rice also found no basis for Rolovich’s objection to the vaccine on religious grounds.

Rolovich is currently a senior offensive assistant for Cal.

A Navato native, he graduated from Marin Catholic.

Former Florida State WR transfers to Oregon >> Wide receiver Malik Benson is leaving Florida State and transferring to Oregon, he announced on social media.

Oregon will be Benson’s third school in three years after he played two seasons at a Kansas junior college before transferring to Alabama first, then Florida State.

Benson is in line to play another season after a federal judge last month issued a preliminary injunction allowing Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia to play one more year after Pavia challenged NCAA eligibility rules for athletes coming from junior colleges.

NBA

Nowitzki and Griffin to become analyst’s for Prime video coverage >> Taylor Rooks, Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki will be part of the Prime Video studio show when the streamer begins its coverage of the NBA next season.

Griffin, who retired in April after a 15-year playing career, was at the top of the list for everyone. NBC, which will return to doing NBA games when the 11-year media rights deal begins in October, and ESPN were also interested in him.

Griffin was the first overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2009 NBA Draft and was the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2011. Along with winning the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest, when he dunked over a parked car, he was a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection.

Nowitzki — a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team — will also be a first-time analyst.

Men’s basketball

No. 8 Florida topples top-ranked Tennessee >> Alijah Martin scored 18 points, Denzel Aberdeen added 16 and No. 8 Florida thumped top-ranked Tennessee 73-43 night to knock off the last unbeaten team in Division I basketball.

Alex Condon chipped in 12 points and 12 rebounds for his second double-double this season as the Gators (14-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) beat a No. 1 team for the third time in school history — the first in six tries at home — and extended their home-winning streak to 16.

Florida, a 2 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook, dominated from the opening tip. The Gators scored the first 12 points as the Volunteers (14-1, 1-1) missed their first nine shots.

Women’s basketball

No. 1 UCLA routs Purdue >> Lauren Betts finished with 17 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes and Timea Gardiner added 16 points off the bench as the No. 1 UCLA Bruins never trailed in a 83-49 rout at Purdue.

UCLA pulled off a rare double by beating Purdue and Indiana on their home courts to remain a perfect 16-0 (5-0 Big Ten).

Racing

South African teenage becomes youngest Dakar Rally winner >> Nineteen-year-old Saood Variawa of South Africa became the youngest top-class driver to win a stage in the Dakar Rally.

The previous record was 22, set last Saturday by American Seth Quintero. Both are competing in the ultimate car category for only the second time.

Variawa and Quintero fought with Toyota teammate Lucas Moraes of Brazil for the lead in the 327-kilometer (203-mile) third stage from Bisha north to Al Henakiyah in the Saudi desert. They were within a minute of each other for at least 200 kilometers.